The athletic association board approved a budget raising football ticket prices while making a $6 million contribution to the university.

By Nathan CrabbeStaff writer

The University of Florida athletic association board approved a budget Wednesday that raises football ticket prices while making a $6 million contribution to the university.

The $97.7 million budget represents a 3 percent increase from this fiscal year. The university is using the athletic association contribution to help balance its budget following state funding cuts.

"Obviously we're part of the same team," he said.

"It's not our money. It's the university's money," athletic director Jeremy Foley said. "We're part of the university, and we're here to help."

The board previously voted to raise regular ticket prices for home football games but Wednesday voted to increase prices also for single-game luxury seats and the Florida-Georgia game in Jacksonville. Increases to the rivalry game, which already have been approved by the University of Georgia, will occur in three of the next five years.

Tickets that now cost $40 for regular seats and $70 for club seats will increase in 2017 to $75 and $120 respectively. Foley said prices have been the same since 2007 and are being increased based on demand and prices for other college football rivalries.

"The game right now, for a game of that stature compared to other rivalry games, is underpriced," he said.

Luxury tickets at home games will increase to $300 per game for the Touchdown Terrace and $325 for the Champions Club.

Foley said the increases apply to a limited number of single-game tickets that are sold for those sections, bringing prices in line with the thousands of dollars paid by boosters who get season tickets.

"At least if you're going to sit next to me, you're going to pay close to what I'm paying on average," Foley said.

The board also approved a variety of renovation projects, some using $2.8 million in reserves and the rest using $15 million in bonds planned to be issued.

Reserves will be spent on projects that include the resurfacing of the Percy Beard Track and the conversion of staff and JV locker rooms in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to football meeting rooms and a player lounge.

The bonds, which still must be approved by the Florida Board of Governors, would be spent on projects that include renovations to the gymnastics studio in the O'Connell Center and the baseball and softball stadium scoreboards.

Renovations would be made to the west concourse of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium that include changes to concession stands and bathrooms, Foley said.

He said the projects, which are being done over the next 2-3 years, make overdue improvements to aging facilities.

"The program needs it," he said.

The athletic association's contribution to the university brings its total contribution to $60 million since 1990.

While other athletic programs are subsidized by their universities, UF officials have touted the contribution made by the University Athletic Association as being one of the highest in the country.

UF President Bernie Machen has said the money is among the sources being used to help balance the university's budget in the next year without layoffs or program cuts.

Foley said he's glad the athletic association is in the position to generate the revenue that makes the contribution possible.